Funding part of global fellowship program to accelerate innovation in
sustainable apparel

May 24, 2017 09:00 AM Eastern Time

SAN FRANCISCO--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) today announced it is granting more than
$350,000 to the inaugural class of LS&Co. Collaboratory fellows who are
working to create a more sustainable apparel industry. The funding will
go towards new approaches and innovations in the apparel supply chain.
Projects include expanding a natural indigo dyeing facility, creating
products that are less water-intensive and making wastewater treatment
solutions more accessible to small artisan workshops.

“We were honored to bring together the next generation of global leaders
to share ideas, aspirations and innovations for achieving a common goal
of accelerating the sustainability of the apparel industry”

The Collaboratory is an annual fellowship program for entrepreneurs and
social entrepreneurs who see design and sustainability as inextricably
linked and are working to create a more sustainable apparel industry.
Each year the program tackles different social and environmental
sustainability challenges facing the industry, with this year’s
inaugural class focused on an area that is critically important to the
future of the apparel industry and the planet: water.

Following the Collaboratory workshop weekend held at LS&Co.’s Eureka
Innovation Lab, fellows submitted project proposals for reducing water
usage or improving water quality with the opportunity to receive funding
from LS&Co. to implement their solutions. The ideas selected represent
some of the boldest, leading-edge ideas from leaders who represent the
future of the apparel industry.

“Working with LS&Co. changed how we look at innovation by educating and
challenging our team to think in a more holistic way about our impact,”
said Kevin McCracken, co-founder of Social Imprints and a Collaboratory
fellow. “With access to funding and mentorship from the most innovative
team in the apparel industry, we have an opportunity to make a real
difference in what we do and how we produce products.”

“To have the support of the entire team at an iconic brand and industry
stalwart like LS&Co. makes me believe that we can truly make a
difference in the apparel industry,” added Kavita Parmar, founder and
creative director at the IOU Project and another Collaboratory fellow.
“Water is the biggest challenge we face globally in the coming decades
and our industry is one of the biggest users. To work together and take
a shot at changing the course of our future is exciting and fills me
with optimism.”

This year’s Collaboratory fellows had the unique opportunity to work
through ideas and challenges with LS&Co. leaders and employee mentors
along with sustainability and apparel industry experts as they developed
concrete, tangible plans for reducing their organization’s water
footprint.

“We were honored to bring together the next generation of global leaders
to share ideas, aspirations and innovations for achieving a common goal
of accelerating the sustainability of the apparel industry,” said Paul
Dillinger, vice president and head of global product innovation, LS&Co.
“We look forward to seeing the Collaboratory fellows’ water impact
solutions come to life and inspire a future of empowered sustainable
apparel makers.”

Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel
companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and
markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and
children under the Levi's®, Dockers®, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™,
and Denizen® brands. Its products are sold in more than 110 countries
worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores,
online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 2,900 retail
stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.'s reported fiscal 2016 net
revenues were $4.6 billion. For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com.